Improved cylindrical amalgamator



@nite-h gisten atwt @Him y THOMAS M. TELL, 0F NEW YORK, lN. Y.:

seem Pareti Na. 60,709, dated Jaaaaay 1, 1867.

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Be it known that I, THOMAS MARy FELL, mining engineer, of 26 Broadway, in the city, county, and'State of New York, have invented@ new and improved Process of Amalgamation'; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the r letters of reference marked thereon. o

My said invention, called Fell's Cylindrical Amalgamstor, consists as follows Figure 1 being a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 2, a sectional elevation.

Figure 3, anvend view.

A is a cylindrical wooden vessel, (but if preferred, it may be made of castor boiler iron,)'constructed of stoves two and a. half inches thick, tongued and grooved, and braced around its circumference with iron clamps or hoops, size preferred, two feet eight inches in diameter by ten feet long. Bis avpartition permanently fixed, which supports the' steam and `yvater pipes, holds the dash-board in position, forms 'a strong brace for the cylinder, and performs very esseptihlrservice in facilitating the dischargeof its contents. C is a cover or lid sliding in the grooves, .01, and fastened hy a catch; this lid may be left open or `shut,lat the' discretion of theioperator. g'ildgeniobesrings cast onljnnrd forming port of :the plate E, to 'which the wooden heads ofthe cylindenarem nisde fast by bolts and' nuts. F, box-bearings bolted to theunder side of the wooden 'frame G, resting on the ground o r floor of the building. H H, driving vibrating cranks with bolts and nuts. I, crank-rod. K K, driving revolving cranks keyed to the driving-shaft, L. M, common bearings or boxes. iN, fast and loose pulleys. O, water 'pipe passing through one ,epd of the cylinder andthe centre of the udgeon D. P, discharge-box, consisting of three valves opening and c/lo'sing by action of the spindle marked 1;, screw-box 2, and a handle (poi-Stable) 'not shown. What I' call, my fdash-board or f suspender, is marked R, in which consists the essential novel feature and'advantage of 'my amalgamator. Its position, when in action, is shown in iig. 2. 'It is made of wood two and s.' half inches thick, fitting the length between the partition and one end of the cylinder, raised threefourths to one inch from the bottom, the former height being suiieient for most descriptions of ore. For the v purpose of wall-ming the'contents of the cylinder, which is found to assist the process of amalgamation, although i' Ifobtain practicalresults without thisanxiliary, I pass a steam pipe, S, through the end of one of the plates E, l "nd-gu'dgeon D, tothe other end-plete, then stop it with a plug, U, and. connect itv with the brauch pipes, V, A'perforated with a few holes for the passage of condensed water; these steam pipes are made either to pass through the thickness of wood forming the` dash-boardI oron one side, which allows Ithe saine to be swung around on its axis formed by the pipe Sinthe plates E.

The operation of my. machine-'is as follows: Motion being given to-the cranks K by the shaft L land-the l pulley N, by any convenient power, the cylinder is caused to oscillate or vibrate about twelve times per minute, which vwill be found in practice suiciently fast. This vibratory motion is obtained by the diiiererice in the two s Solioi of cranks, H H and K Kfthe latter being about one-third longer from thc centre to the point of motion thon the former, thereby permitting the cylinder to move aroundon its axis onlyaboutne-third of its circuml ference, and then 'returning toits former position. 44The eiiect of this alternate motion is, that the entire charge, ooiiting of two hundred and fifty pounds of the pounded ore or material, which is the proper quantityA for a machine of this size, with about thirty gallons, or six inches in height, of water, rand mercury, say about fifty pounds,`is made to pass in a narrow stream twice during every full stroke of the cranks H H, under the dashboard and through the space of three-fourths of an inch left between it and the bottom of the cylinder, the Amercury rolling along leisurely, while the ore, by this peculiar sluice motion, is entirely suspended in the Water without the aid of any mechanical stirrer or'other similar contrivance whatever. Periodically, say at the end of forty minutes, by which time thegold or metallic silver has been completely absorbed, the top valve is opened and theconteuts allowed to pass out, after which the second or lower valve is opened, and finally the bottom or `third valve. /All the residuum is caught for au after treatment or washing, which, however, may be put back into the cylinder, as it will be found to lie but few pounds' weight, so` as to recover any stray' pieces lof amalgam. This` sluicing motion is essentially s. new and useful feature in the amalgamation of gold and silver with mercury.

Theentire charge,'when lifted up above the ordinary water level on one side of the board,.rashe`s by its own Agrnvity through the narrow pass or space tothe olzhei side, thereby accomplishing s. thorough suspension of the .nriferons material, (silica, sulphides, oxides, alumina., 85e.) These particles so lforcibly rub or abi-ade each other, thpt nll stoms of precious metal adhering thereto (consequent npon every manner of grinding ores) will sepa` nte by tritnntion, s nd descend or drop into the bulk of mercury rolling onthe vbottoni-.vAv At the sumo time smell portions of mercury will likewise he suspended, which, coming in contact with the very minuto sealy lilsments of metil 'floating or held by cohesive attraction to' small pieces of matrix., will resdily'dissolve the sume lby n'ttrition of. particles. It is'obvious that the above-described amslg'smstor is susceptible of many modifiestions. The sluice 'motion may be had in a. rotating cylinder .with 'a succession of sluice-bosrds; but

What I claim ss my invonltiomilfv y v 1. The introduction of the nlternsting sluce or ilood motion for obtaining entire suspension and trituration of the mns-s, nucomplished by whnt we designate a. dash or sluice-board, acting in connection with a. vibrating or oscillating cylinder, substantially. as above set forth, for the purpose pf amnlgnmntion of gold and silver ores.

2. I claim the introduction, for the purpose .of amalgamation, ol' en oscillating or vibrating cylinder, te4

which I attach my delh'vor lluice-bosrd, all snbstnntislly in the manner herein described. v THO. M. IELL. 

